Pampanga: Culinary Capital

Kapampangan Cuisine History

 Kapampángan Cuisine is deeply rooted to Spanish Cuisine but has
many similarities with Malay and even Mexican Cuisine.
Kapampangan added a twist by using the available and abundant
ingredients in their area which is also the birth of exotic food. The
diverse and rich flavors of the food is evident in every Kapampangan
dishes as they put the best ingredients to produce quality and palatable
food that is widely known in the country tagging Pampanga as the
Culinary Capital of the Philippines.
 What Makes it Different?

 The kitchen is the biggest and widely used room in the traditional
Kapampangan household. They use the best ingredients available to
cook delectable dishes especially during special occasions such as
fiesta.
 Kapampangan Cuisine

 It is brought by the creativity, hospitality, discriminating taste and

experimental people of Pampanga. Kapampangan don’t just cook
based on what was thought to them by the Spaniards, they create,
reinvent and even improve every dishes. Aside from native dishes,
Pampango cooking also manages to concoct up its version of the
latest food craze using new ingredients.
 Sangkutsa

 According to Aching Lilian Borromeo, guardian of Pampango

Cuisine, after parboiling it is to stir heavily to allow the meat to
render its lard, and when mixed with marinade yields a fuller and
bolder flavors. The simplest explanation is really simple. The
Tagalog term “sangkutsa” simply means “pre-cooking”. Half-
cooking is also acceptable.
 Sangkutsa

 It is done by adding one to several flavorings to the main

ingredients. It can be water only, or water plus salt, fish sauce,
onions, garlic and soy sauce. The last step is boiling the mix until
half done. The boiling time varies depending on commodity.
 Culinary Capital of the Philippines

 When the Philippines was under Spanish rule, Spanish friars and sailors
taught Kapampangans the basics of Spanish cooking. Kapampangans
for being meticulous when it comes to food evident in the practice such
as sangkutsa (precooking) and preserving food. Kapampangans choose
spouses with great cooking abilities not just to have good cooks at
home but a lifetime partner in sharing and spending time preparing food
and making the family’s table refined and with grace.
 The Kapampangans were able to produce a unique blend that
surprised the Spanish palate. Soon Spanish friars and government
officials were entertaining foreign guests at the expense of
Kapampangan households.
 In the late 18th century, the Arnedo clan of Apalit were
commissioned by the colonial government to entertain foreign
dignitaries that included a Cambodian prince and a Russian
archduke. Kapampangans were given the task of creating the meal
and menu that was served in the proclamation of the First
Philippine Republic in Malolos, Bulacan on January 21, 1899
where Emilio Aguinaldo took his oath of office as President.
 Famous Kapampangan Dishes

 Some popular Kapampangan dishes that have won over the

Filipino palate across the country includes: Sisig, morcon,
menudo, caldereta, estofado, embotido, asado, lengua, lechon,
chicharon, afritada, bringhi (paella), tabang talangka (crab
meat),(the “tocino” or pindang, tibok tibok or Maja Blanca.
A unique Kapampangan dish that is well enjoyed by other ethnic
groups is nasing biringyi (chicken saffron rice). Since nasing
biringyi is so difficult to prepare, this unique Kapampangan dish
can only be enjoyed during fiestas in Pampanga. It should be
compared to the Nasi Briyani dish of Malaysia.
 The Birth of Kapampangan Exotic
Food
 Due to revolts, floods, disasters and the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo,
Kapampangans experienced extreme famine, hunger and poverty in the
18th century. This is the reason why Kapampangans create dishes out
of the most horrible creatures and weirdest ingredients. Most of these
ingredients are usually found in nature which conserves both money
and time. The way Kapampangans lived many years ago proves how
wise they are in making delicious and incomparable dishes in town.
 Kapampangan Exotic Food
 Kapampangan dishes that remain a challenge to other cultures includes:

 CANDABA. Balo balo or Burung bulig (mudfish fermented in rice)

 MEXICO & MAGALANG. betute tugak (stuffed frogs)
 MACABEBE: adobung kamaru (mole crickets sauted in vinegar and garlic), calderetang
barag (spicy monitor lizard stew), kubang asu (sweet and spicy dog stew).
 MASANTOL: tidtad itik (duck stewed in blood)
Daguis pale ampong atbu (field mice found in rice field and sugarcane
plantations)
 Durun (locusts)